The present invention is directed to a far infrared emitting image display device, and particularly to a far infrared emitting image display device manufactured by including far infrared emitting material in a cabinet for an image display device or attaching a far infrared emitting body to the cabinet to emit far infrared.
In the present society, that is, in an information-oriented society, the completion of a transmission system using image display information is one of the symbol of modern world. However, the image display device leads to mis-operation of the device and can injure an operator's health owing to the electromagnetic wave emitted from the device, and this results, in an the exchange of health for convenience. The effect on the human body is called a VDT (visual display terminal) syndrome and the symptoms are eye fatigue, ocular pain, impairment of eyesight, headache, chronic fatigue, etc. In order to remove and/or shield these harmful electromagnetic waves, efforts such as the use of an antistatic treatment, establishment of a filter, establishing a magnetic field generator, etc. were tried, but an economic burden and question on the effect still remain, and now it is approved that complete removal and/or shielding of electromagnetic wave is impossible.
Far infrared rays are electromagnetic waves in the range of 5 to 1000 .mu.m (The standard wavelength region of the far infrared rays are not critically defined. This range is selected to exclude near infrared rays in the present invention.) and affect the human body in two forms: thermal and non-thermal effects. The thermal effect is the effect of the thermal energy in the peripheral vein absorbed from the skin to the deep tissue or to the whole body, and the non-thermal effect of the photon which corresponds to far infrared radiation of a specific wavelength is stimulating the receptor in the endothelia or cell membranes. This means that far infrared radiation of a specific wavelength transmits to and activates the cell. Therefore, far infrared rays act as a thermal energy source through a thermal reaction, and as a photon source through a non-thermal reaction. In conclusion, far infrared radiation shows direct thermal action as an infrared, indirect action through activation of water molecules, and non-thermal action of stimulating receptors of nerve cells located 100 .mu.m below the skin which perceive heat, cold, pain, etc. Through these actions, acceleration of blood circulation and fast release of effetiveness are achieved.
Far infrared, especially in the 5.5 to 15 .mu.m region, is used as an energy source which causes stretching and bending of bonds in water molecules, and when energy in the far infrared region is emitted and absorbed by the human body, plants, and animals, water molecules which compose most of such living bodies are activated and this results in acceleration of blood circulation, shortening of recovery of health and food cooking time, acceleration of flower blooming, extension of the flower life, etc. (See Japan Illumination Society Vol.72 No.12 1988, p717 "Application of far infrared to the human body", ibid Vol.74 No.12 1990, p796 "The present state of applying far infrared to the food industry and the future", Japan ceramics Vol.23 No.4 1988, p310 "Far infrared emitting materials and its application", published by Seoul Korean Tourist Information Co. & translated by W. S. Park "Far Infrared")
A lot of research and development has been committed to the above-mentioned, beneficial far infrared. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Sho 63-198254, Sho 63-236284, Sho 63-248051, Hei 1-65786, Hei 1-77893 and Hei 1-169865 disclose techniques concerning the manufacture of a far infrared emitting lamp. Many applications employing these far infrared emitting lamps are also known. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. hei 2-57883 and hei 2-309169 to Hitachi disclose refrigerators employing the far infrared emitting lamp, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. hei 2-306028 of Rinai discloses a microwave oven employing the far infrared emitting lamp, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. hei 2-164365 discloses a bathtub employing far infrared emitting lamps. In all of these publications, effects obtained by employing the far infrared emitting lamps are also disclosed together with various experimental data, and the results are satisfying.
Water composes most of the human body and shows the following relation to the far infrared. FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating the transmittance of water with respect wavelength. As shown in this figure, water has the characteristic of absorbing light near the 3 .mu.m and 6 .mu.m regions and above. Since, O--H bond between oxygen and hydrogen in the water molecule (H.sub.2 O, H--O--H), has a stretching vibration at 2.5 to 3.5 .mu.m, and a bending vibration at 10 to 14 .mu.m, water absorbs light when exposed to the light in these regions, and the vibration of the water molecule is accelerated. That is to say, water molecules become activated and then reorient themselves to form an ideal structure when the light in this region is supplied from the outside.
The wavelength of a human body can be calculated by taking body temperature as an example, in accordance with the relation between absolute temperature and wavelength, as in the Wien formula defined as: .delta.=2897/T (where T denotes an absolute temperature and .delta. denotes a wavelength .mu.m.) Namely, when 309.5 (273+36.5) is substituted for T, the wavelength becomes 9.36 .mu.m which is within the far infrared range.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are graphical representations showing a spectral transmittance (2A) and a spectral reflectance (2B) of skin according to each wavelength, respectively. The far infrared emission from human skin is within the range of 3 to 50 .mu.m, especially, the wavelengths within the range of 8 to 14 .mu.m occupies approximately 46% of the total emitted energy. The energy emitted to the skin is transmitted, reflected or absorbed, and therefore, the amount of the energy absorbed by the skin can be calculated considering FIGS. 2A and 2B. For example, most of the energy within 8 to 14 .mu.m region of which transmittance and reflectance are low, are considered to be absorbed by the skin.
Thus, upon supplying energy in this range, a living body mostly consisting of water absorbs and uses this energy as kinetic energy and is easily activated. This gives the following effects of early blossom of flowers, period shortening and early maturation of a hatching egg, prolonging cut flowers' life, etc. To the human body, the effect appears micro massage effect, acceleration of perspiration and excretion, fast health recovery, etc.
Far infrared emitting materials are as follows: alumino-silicates (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 -SiO.sub.2) , cordierites (MgO-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 -SiO.sub.2), zircons (ZrO.sub.2 -SiO.sub.2) , carbonation, ferric oxide (Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3) , manganese dioxide (MnO.sub.2), cupric oxide (CuO), tricobalt tetroxide (Co.sub.3 O.sub.4), nickel monoxide (NiO), chromic oxide (Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3) , lithium oxide (Li.sub.2 O) , zinc oxide (ZnO), bismuth oxide (Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3), barium oxide (BaO), titanium oxide (TiO.sub.2), boron oxide (B.sub.2 O.sub.3), sodium oxide (Na.sub.2 O), potassium oxide (K.sub.2 O), phosphorus pentoxide (P.sub.2 O.sub.5), molybdenum sesquioxide (Mo.sub.2 O.sub.3), calcium oxide (CaO), etc.
FIG. 3 is graphical representation of the intensity emission with respect wavelength for several far infrared emitting materials with relation to that of a black body (measured at 40.degree. C.). The materials emit far infrared in 5 to 25 .mu.m wavelength region.
FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C are graphical representation of the intensity of emission with respect to wavelength for several far infrared emitting mixtures, respectively. FIG. 4A corresponds to the mixture of 60 wt % of SiO.sub.2, 20 wt % of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 5 wt % of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 and 15 wt % of TiO.sub.2.MnO.CaO.MgO, FIG. 4B corresponds to the mixture of 50 wt % of ZrO.sub.2, 30 wt % of SiO.sub.2, 8 wt % of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 3 wt % of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, 3 wt % of BaO, 2 wt % of MgO and 4 wt % of CaO, and FIG. 4C corresponds to the mixture of 50 wt % of SiO.sub.2, 45 wt % of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 3 wt % of K.sub.2 O and 2 wt % of Na.sub.2 O. From the figures, it is shown that each material emits far infrared at each specific wavelength region. Therefore, appropriate materials can be optionally used as occasion demands.
A cabinet, or case, which is a part of an image display device and exposed to view, is a supporting means carrying interior parts of the device. The cabinet is generally manufactured from engineering plastics and especially from ABS resin, vinyl chloride resin and acryl resin. The cabinet is manufactured by mixing raw resin, pigment, stabilizer, etc., and injecting the mixture into a catapult and then injection molding the mixture.
The cabinet is most widely manufactured from ABS resin. The ABS resin is a kind of plastic composed of styrene, acrylonitrile and butadiene, and is good with respect to impact-resistance and heat-resistance (heat-resisting temperature is 93.degree. C.). Table 1 illustrates heat-deformation temperatures for several cabinet-molding materials.
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ heat-deformation samples temperature (.degree.C.) ______________________________________ thermo- methacrylates 65-100 plastic vinyl chlorides 50-75 resins poly vinyl alcohols 45-75 nylons -180 fluorides 120 celluloides 50-70 celluloses 70-110 styrenes 70-115 polyethylenes 40-80 polypropylenes 80-100 polycarbonates 130 thermo- phenol resins 70-120 setting urinous resins 100-130 resins melamine resins 150-200 unsaturated polyester -200 alkyd resins 80-90 silicones &gt;250 foaming polyurethans -100 polyethylenes 40-80 ______________________________________